


Reflections

by Cometpltuo



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alien/Human Relationships, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Roller Coaster, F/F, First Meetings, Gen, Self-Discovery, Smoking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23204122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cometpltuo/pseuds/Cometpltuo
Summary: Era 3, a time of peace for both Homeworld and the Crystal Gems. Everyone is happy, and yet for Pearl...Much of what she thought she knew about both humans and herself are destined to change, all thanks to a fateful walk down a quiet, familiar boardwalk...
Relationships: Pearl/Original Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Reflections

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, here we go. First AO3 fanfic. Based off an RP I had with the wonderful LonelyAuthor3112, and fleshed out into a full story. Hope you all enjoy, and please don't be afraid to leave any feedback you have.

An intake of fresh air - that was her reasoning for taking a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk. Now happily wearing the status of being free and fearless. 

Spending a few weeks on Homeworld taught her just how far she’d come. She wasn’t some obedient little accessory. She didn’t follow the rules. She fought for what she believed in - and it paid off.

There was no Pink Diamond around to tell her what to do, no Gem war to be sparking up her anxiety... she was free. Pearl had no reason to be nervous or fearful anymore.

Of course, all things are due to change.

* * *

The boardwalk was particularly quiet today; yes, Beach City was a small town, and it didn’t have that many citizens, but there was still usually SOMEONE out. The subtle ocean breeze drifted through her hair. 

“Stars... it’s never usually this quiet.”

“Stars… it’s never usually this quiet.”

The gem froze, a question drifting into her mind. That sounded like an echo. But that’s impossible. The sound reverberation in this area isn’t remotely potent enough for any mere mumbling to cause such a potent echo. But that’s when she saw it; her… reflection?

But why was there a mirror in the middle of the boardwalk? It couldn’t be another person; the appearance was too strikingly similar for it to be the case. Slowly began to step towards it, and the reflection copied her actions. Once she was just a foot or so away, the pale gem extended a limb out to touch this odd visual phenomenon. But it wasn’t glass. 

Pearl felt warmth. Skin. It was a human being. 

“O-oh! I-I’m sorry, I just-”  
  
“O-oh, I-I’m sorry, I just-”  
  
The human spoke in perfect unison with Pearl, but despite the remarkable similarity to the gem there was one notable thing missing.

“Wait, where’s your..? But you have my voice, the same hair..? What in the world is going on?” She stumbled back a bit. The woman before her held a hand over her mouth in shock and eyes widening. 

“You’re… human? I.. what?” Pearl tilted her head. “How on Earth can this be? We look almost the same! How on Earth is this possible?”

The human began to hyperventilate, taking a step backwards as she grabbed her racing heart. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing… 

Pearl looked in some form of disbelief at what she supposed should be called her doppelganger. “N-now calm down! I’m sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for all this!” A pang of curiosity struck her as the strange woman reached into her pocket while she stepped away from the gem. “What is that you’re reaching for?” The woman stumbled back into a seat outside the fry shop and extracted a cigarette from the box before placing it on the table. Her hand shakily managed to light the small paper tube before quickly placing it in her mouth and taking a long inhalation of smoke. 

“Why’re you-” Pearl had seen a cigarette before, of course. Only a few decades ago almost every human smoked them, but it still surprised her to see this human pulling one out. “Does that really help?” In response the woman just let out a rough cough of smoke as she looked up at the gem. “Isn’t that harmful?” It seemed like an innocent question; Pearl had spent her life on Earth working to defend these fragile creatures, and having recently worked out her… _problems_ with Greg she had managed to do it without any salt whatsoever.

“I-it’s none of your damn business…” The woman took another inhalation.

Pearl couldn’t help but flinch at the rather harsh tone of the response but still pulled out the seat across from her and sat down, not even coughing at the smoke. “Maybe not, but I can still care. And I do.” 

“Can you tell me what the fuck kinda cheap getup that is?” The human snapped back, with that same harsh tone she seemed to have for the gem. 

“What do you mean?” 

“The mask? The stupid shoulder-pads?” She grunted out, taking another long drag from the little smoking stick. 

“Well, I’m simply fond of the jacket, and I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘face’, not ‘mask’ because I’m not wearing one.” Pearl simply rested her chin on her palm, sky-blue eyes gazing curiously at this peculiar human.

A roll of the mystery lady’s eyes. “You look just like me… I gotta be fuckin' dreaming...” She mumbled under her breath, taking yet another long drag from her cigarette. 

“I mean, I thought so too but then again Gems don’t need to sleep.” Pearl ignored the smoke, but she was still subconsciously inhaling it. Passive smoke wouldn’t hurt her, and even if she wasn’t aware of it she wouldn’t mind it.

“You look just like me…” 

“As do you. I believed that there must have been some form of a mirror in the middle of the boardwalk.” Pearl sighed, as she received not but silence from the human. “Look, this must be some form of a coincidence… I- Look, what is your name?” 

“P-Perla.” 

Pearl’s eyes widened, leaning back a bit. She opened her mouth to speak, but could not find the words before pointing to herself.  
  
“Pearl.” 

A familiar silence from Perla, a drag of a cigarette as widened eyes attempted to process the information she had received. 

Pearl couldn’t help but smirk. “Your silence speaks volumes.”  
  


“Fuck you.” 

“You certainly seem to like that word, don’t you?” The language didn’t phase her. She’d been stabbed, decapitated and more. A few coarse words were nothing.

“What’s it to ya?” Perla snapped back, an edge to her voice. 

“Nothing. I just find you particularly interesting.” Pearl nonchalantly commented, sweeping some dust off the table’s surface.

  
  
“Says the lady with the rock on her face.” 

Pearl simply placed the tips of her fingers on the surface of her gem. “It’s a gem. A pearl, to be exact. It’s why I’m called Pearl to begin with. My ‘race’, I guess is how you humans would put it, is an alien one. Humanoid, but Alien.

The human rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Real magical. What book did ya get that one outta?” 

In response, without saying a word Pearl summoned a roll of bandages from her gem. “Sorry, I don’t think I made myself clear enough.”  
  


Perla couldn’t help but stare. That little display had caught her attention.

Pearl spun the roll around her finger, a slight smirk on her face. “Well, that believable enough for you?” 

“H-how…” 

“Alien species. Best boils down to ‘magic’, I suppose.” She slid the roll of bandages over to the woman, to prove that it wasn’t some trick of the light or anything. 

“J-Jesus…” 

“Honestly it could be a lot worse.” She folded her hands in her lap. Perla didn’t reply. Pearl just turned to drumming her fingers on the table, a slightly bored look on her face.

“How.”  
  


“How what?” 

“A-aliens.” 

“Precisely.” She stated, resting her chin on her fist. 

“Fuck...” 

“What? It’s not like we’re gonna hurt you. Stars, the reason I’m on this planet is protecting it.”

Another cigarette.

Pearl looked at Perla, her eyes falling on the small smoking tube. “I’m... curious, why do humans use those?”

“You seriously don’t-” The human laughed, before it turned into a bit of a cough. “You seriously don’t...?” She laughed. “It makes us feel good. You puff on the little paper and it makes your brain stop giving a shit.”

For once in this engagement, Pearl actually reciprocated the laughter. “Pffft, really? I’m surprised. If I had that 14 years ago, I would’ve been a lot happier than I was at that time.” She gave a playful roll of her eyes.

“Oh yeah?”

Pearl glanced up, now with sincerity, her eyes shining. “Really..?”

“Yep.”

Pearl smiled softly and chuckled. “Well, I gu—“

A young teenage boy, looking about 14, ran up to Pearl, his curly brown hair easily noticeable. He had one hand tightly clutching a bag of donuts. “Hey, Pearl!”

“Oh, Steven! I hadn’t noticed you. I thought you were hanging out with Connie today..?”

“Yeah, But I decided to quickly go and grab us some donuts!”

Steven noticed Perla, a bit of a curious look on his face.

“Oh! Who’s this, Pearl? She kinda looks like you!” 

Perla was silent, staring at the boy. “S-Steven? W-What’re you doing here?”

**Author's Note:**

> Seems Perla might have more in common with Pearl then we previously thought... well, I suppose you all get to see how when chapter 2 rolls around. :P


End file.
